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on Neuroeconomics |
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Issue of 2018‒01‒29
four papers chosen by |
| By: | Checchi, Daniele (University of Milan); De Paola, Maria (University of Calabria) |
| Abstract: | We analyse how schooling in multigrade classes affect the formation of student cognitive and non-cognitive skills. Our identification strategy is based on some institutional features of the Italian educational system establishing a minimum number of students per class. Classes that do not reach the minimum number of pupils are organized in multigrade classes. In addition, the Italian law also establishes a maximum number of students for multigrade classes, leaving a narrow range in the number of students per class which is very similar to small class size in single grade classes when the number of students enrolled in the grade is just above the minimum number of students per class. Using census data on 5th grade Italian students, we find that pupils in multigrade classrooms obtain worse test scores both in literacy and numeracy standardized tests compared to comparable pupils in single grade classroom. While the effect is small and not always statistically significant for the literacy score, we find a large and highly statistically significant effect on the numeracy score. No effect is found on grades assigned by teachers. We also find that pupils placed in multigrade classes tend to have a more external centred locus of control. Our results are robust to different specifications including controls for class size and a number of student and school characteristics. |
| Keywords: | multigrade classes, mixed-age classes, cognitive skills, non-cognitive skills |
| JEL: | I21 I28 C36 |
| Date: | 2017–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11211&r=neu |
| By: | Nina Drange; Marte Rønning (Statistics Norway) |
| Abstract: | We estimate effects of child care center staff composition on early child development. During the years our data covers, child care centers in Oslo were oversubscribed, and child care slots were allocated through a lottery. This allow us to explore how staff education, experience and stability, as well as proportion of male and immigrant staff, affect the cognitive development of children whose parents initially applied for the same center(s), but where children got offers from different institutions. We find that children who get their first offer of child care enrollment in a child care center with a higher share of male staff, perform better on tests in language and mathematics in the early years of school. |
| Keywords: | Child care quality; child development |
| JEL: | I21 J13 |
| Date: | 2017–12 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ssb:dispap:870&r=neu |
| By: | Knaus, Michael C. (University of St. Gallen); Lechner, Michael (University of St. Gallen); Reimers, Anne K. (Chemnitz University of Technology) |
| Abstract: | This study analyses the effects of regular physical education at school on cognitive skills, non-cognitive skills, motor skills, physical activity, and health. It is based on a very informative data set, the German Motorik-Modul, and identifies the effect by using variation in the required numbers of physical education lessons across and within German federal states. The results show improvements in cognitive skills. Boys' non-cognitive skills are adversely affected driven by increased peer relation problems. For girls, the results suggest improvements in motor skills and increased extra-curricular physical activities. Generally, we find no statistically significant effects on health parameters. |
| Keywords: | physical education, cognitive skills, non-cognitive skills, motor skills, physical activity, health |
| JEL: | I12 |
| Date: | 2018–01 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp11268&r=neu |
| By: | Sinem H. Ayhan (University of Münster); Kseniia Gatskova; Hartmut Lehmann |
| Abstract: | This paper provides evidence on the impacts of non-cognitive skills and attitudes towards risk on the decision to migrate from rural to urban areas. Our analysis is based on a unique four-wave panel of Ukrainian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey for the period between 2003 and 2012. Adopting the Five Factor Model of personality structure, and using it in the evaluation of noncognitive skills, our results suggest that such personality traits as openness to new experience and the willingness to take risks increase the probability of migration. On the other hand, the non-cognitive skills conscientiousness and extraversion are found to be negatively associated with the propensity to migrate. The effects are statistically and quantitatively significant, and mainly driven by movements from rural areas into cities. Our results are robust to several sensitivity checks, including tests for reverse causality. |
| Keywords: | migration, non-cognitive skills, Big Five, risk attitudes |
| JEL: | J61 D03 D81 R23 |
| Date: | 2017–09 |
| URL: | http://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ost:wpaper:369&r=neu |